“Thanks” to the war in the Middle East, the AFC/M23 movement, supported by Rwanda and occupying part of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, can no longer export smuggled gold to Dubai.

The company Twangiza Mining recently accused AFC/M23 of looting its concession in South Kivu, taking away more than 500 kilograms of gold. Reports by UN experts indicated that during 2025 that AFC/M23 exploited the gold deposits of Lemera (South Kivu) by imposing a 30% tax on production. According to information provided by the United Nations in March 2026, the smuggling of minerals, mainly gold, enables AFC/M23 to generate more than one million dollars per month to finance its activities.

However, the rebellion directed from Kigali is being hit hard by the collateral effects of the Middle East crisis. Air traffic came to a halt the day after the indiscriminate response by the Mullah regime.

Virtually all of the region’s gold ends up in Dubai. In Butembo, the main trading center for artisanal gold originating notably from Lubero, Manguredjipa, Bunyatenge and Walikale—areas that remain under government control—transactions involving precious stones have also slowed considerably. In Goma, however, the situation is even worse, since everything operates through the black market.

The blockade affecting Dubai, the preferred destination for North Kivu’s artisanal gold, is severely undermining the rebellion’s finances. Speaking to the press, a local trader described a situation that is going from bad to worse. “Iran’s war has affected us,” he said. “We are living in anxiety. Money is no longer coming from Dubai. We no longer have the liquidity needed to buy gold. Prices have become unstable. It is no longer possible to follow market quotations. It is really affecting the entire minerals economy.”

Beyond the decline in purchases, the entire informal financing mechanism has become clogged. Many operators traditionally used gold as a means of transferring funds to supply their businesses with manufactured goods from Dubai. With travel restrictions, the suspension of certain flights, and the prevailing climate of insecurity, this parallel circuit has virtually dried up. Goma is financially drained. The Rwandan franc has become the last resort, although it is poorly received by the population. Here, the closure of commercial banks on Kinshasa’s orders has nearly brought commercial activity to the brink of collapse. No city in the region has been spared.

“Today, in our office, which serves as a gold-buying counter, we do not have a single franc. We buy on credit. We truly depend on the Middle East,” another trader told the press.

See, Guerre au Moyen-Orient: Le mouvement AFC/M23 ne sait plus exporter l’or de la contrebande vers Dubaï